Augmented reality (AR) relates to providing an augmented real-world environment where the perception of a real-world environment (or data representing a real-world environment) is augmented or modified with computer-generated virtual data. For example, data representing a real-world environment may be captured in real-time using sensory input devices such as a camera or microphone and augmented with computer-generated virtual data including virtual images and virtual sounds. Sounds from within an AR environment may originate from real sound sources (i.e., sound sources that exist within a particular real-world environment) and virtual sound sources (i.e., sound sources that do not exist within the particular real-world environment).
In order to realistically integrate virtual sounds into an AR environment, an AR system may perform several tasks including mapping and localization. Mapping relates to the process of generating a map of a real-world environment. Localization relates to the process of locating a particular point of view or pose relative to the map of the real-world environment. In some cases, an AR system may localize the pose of a mobile device moving within a real-world environment in real-time in order to determine the appropriate virtual sound directions and virtual sound intensities for virtual sounds within the AR environment as the mobile device moves within the real-world environment.